Using decoupage technique for furniture restoration

Furniture restoration is one of the ways to extend its service life. This process is quite time consuming, but there is a technology that allows you to do it quickly and easily – decoupage. In this article we will tell you how you can restore the work surface of the kitchen table using decoupage.

Decoupage (from French decoupage – cut) is a way to decorate almost any surface. In fact, this is an application that everyone is familiar with since kindergarten, so all that is required from a person who wants to master this decoration technique is ordinary accuracy..

The whole method consists in sticking a napkin with a picture on the object to be decorated and then protecting the surface with varnish. This allows for amazing results, especially when combined with other decoration methods such as artificial aging..

For decoupage, either special glue is used (you can buy it at any store for artists), or PVA glue diluted with water about 1: 1. You can use egg white, but work with it requires special care. Since the glue and the paper base of the napkin after drying become transparent, as a result, only the drawing that was applied to the napkin remains visible on the surface of the object..

Before gluing the napkin, special attention should be paid to surface preparation. At the beginning, it must be degreased. Further, for wooden surfaces – putty (if necessary), sanding, priming with acrylic primer or paint and finishing sanding, for plastic, glass or metal – a primer based on PVA glue. It should be remembered that if you put new paint and then varnish on the old layers, the surface may become bumps after the new paint has been absorbed and dried. Therefore, before starting work, it is better to test the coatings for compatibility. To do this, on the invisible, for example, the reverse side, you need to apply a primer and, after it dries, varnish. If the old coating does not peel off, then you can use the materials you have tested. As a rule, acrylic paints and varnishes do not interact with other types of coatings, but nitro and oil materials can give completely unexpected results..

Since decoupage adhesives are made on a water basis, when wet, the napkin can stretch, deform, or even just break. Therefore, gluing should be done as quickly as possible. You can sprinkle water from a spray bottle on a napkin, let it dry and only then glue. In this case, the paper spreads less..

Now, using the example of the restoration of the kitchen table, the application of the decoupage technique in practice will be shown. There is a dining table, quite strong, but over 10 years of operation, it is rather shabby in the central part.

For restoration you will need:

1. Decoupage napkin (two-layer napkin with a matching pattern).
2. Banana paper.
3. Decoupage glue or PVA, diluted 1: 1 with water to a kefir-like state.
4. Brush.
5. Scissors.
6. Sandpaper.
7. Acrylic primer.
8. Acrylic clear matt varnish.

All of these can be purchased from either hardware stores or artist stores..

Work order

1. Let us examine the depth of surface damage. With a significant one – we putty. In our case, the scratches are not very deep.

2. We sand the surface to “open” the scratches.

3. Thoroughly degrease the surface with acetone or another suitable means.

4. Glue masking tape around the perimeter so that the edges of the picture are smooth. Next, we prime.

5. Grind and repeat the operation.

6. After double priming and sanding, the surface is ready for decoupage. We lay out a napkin and paper on the table to indicate the desired drawing.

7. Having carefully measured and calculated everything, cut the sheets into the necessary parts.

8. Let’s start gluing. We start from the outside. With a brush with a lot of glue, coat the paper so that it is completely saturated. We smooth it with it. After drying, the glue becomes transparent, so you should not regret it.

9. Having finished the outer perimeter, similarly glue the inner.

10. Next, glue the central square. Separate the top layer with the pattern from the napkin

11. Lay and coat with glue from the center to the edges.

12. When wet, the napkin will stretch a little, so you have to cut it a little. To hide possible flaws, after the glue dries, paint the edging with gold paint, after pasting masking tape.

13. After the composition is completely dry, cover everything with matt acrylic varnish. The matte surface does not give strong reflections, preserving the paper structure of the decoupage base.

The resulting surface is resistant to abrasion and is not afraid of water, so this method is suitable for decorating and restoring any wood or plastic furniture.